I know that when people come here asking if something is "right", they're really looking for permission to do something they've already decided to do... I unashamedly collect slabs for their historical "value". I define (my collection, my rules) collectible slabs as sonic (or epoxy) sealed. Along the way, I've accumulated several different basement slabs. For basement think SGS, INB, that ilk. The kind that is unsealed, i.e. you can open with a fingernail. I no longer seek them out, but I have accumulated them as part of various lots, when I saw an interesting label and couldn't figure out the slab, etc. For SGS - as an example - I have two PHYSICAL cases with the foil seals and one without the seals. I have two different label styles in the unsealed cases. This gives me three (or four) "unique" examples and three (or two) "duplicates". Would I be upsetting the Karma of the Universe if I removed the nicer duplicates from the ecosystem? Would I be doing the Universe a favor? I worry because I know the Karmic Chicken always comes home to roost. But I have a 1954S Mercury Dime labeled MS70 and a 1879O Morgan labeled MS65. Neither of them are close to their labeled grades, but the Morgan might on a good day be MS.
For me, I'd have to satisfactorily answer a few questions to myself before I cracked them: 1. Is the slab doing harm to the coins? Some plastics may contain harmful chemicals. If the slab is harming the coins, I'd instantly crack it and no further questions are necessary. 2. What am I going to store the coin in instead? Is there another holder that I'd prefer to display my coins in? Is there some presentation that I prefer over the slab? If I don't have a suitable replacement storage, then I see no reason to crack it out. 3. Am I going to try to cross these coins to a top TPG instead of what they're in? If so, I'd submit in the slab and let the TPG crack it rather than risking harm myself. 4. Am I trying to resell it? Sometimes a raw coin might actually sell for more than a coin in the wrong slab. 5. Is the slab "historic" or important? Is there a potential that it may have value in the future, to slab collectors or as an artefact of the hobby? You might not think that coin boards are collectibles, but there's currently a very active market collecting the sorts of things that many of us would throw away. Perhaps in a few years, these slabs might be on that list. There isn't really a right or wrong answer to these questions - ultimately, you have to decide for yourself. However, these are the sorts of things I'd think about before I cracked them.
I would definitely say "no" for #5. Some things are not worth preserving. But that's just my opinion for what it's worth.
I tend to disagree and think that almost everything is worth preserving. Hence my asking the question. But, that's my opinion and I don't own the coins!
I have plenty of DIY inert slabs. There's some discoloration around 7 on the reverse and a lot of almost greasy brown stuff on the foam insert. I need to take a loupe to the Morgan.
I have the polar opposite opinion; I think most things aren't worth preserving. I'm a firm believer in the "90% of everything is crap" axiom. There's some value in preserving history to be sure, and many archeological artifacts are past civilizations' garbage, but... I don't know, there has to be a line somewhere, and self slabbers' plastic created for the purpose of creating artificial value to scam people, to me, is well past that line. I think those things are an insult to the coins they contain. If people want to spend money collecting those, well... it's their money, but I'll never stop thinking it's a waste of their money.
I am a firm believer that if the coin is over graded then If I buy it is going to get cracked. I would crack the slab unless the slab is considered retro or classic. Some basement slabbers do get the grade right, but I have found that I need to see for myself as the slab only hinders my view. Crack that thing unless the slab has value!
@Burton Strauss III as a fellow slab connoisseur, I'd be perfectly fine with you removing some of those duplicate basement slabs from the ecosystem. As long as you have one example, the rest don't really add much. With these basement slabs, a few is enough to satisfy the majority of the demand from slab collectors.
I'm not a slab fan, even though I understand their purpose and value to other collectors, so take my opinions on slabs with as many or few grains of salt as you feel appropriate. I wouldn't allow a coin of any meaningful value to stay in a basement slab. Edit: I think @ldhair wrote more clearly and accurately than I did in his reply below. I don't suppose I would tear a coin out of a slab just because, but I wouldn't leave one in with the rationale that I'm preserving the history of the slab. If it looks like the foam insert material is breaking down, I'd have the coins freed yesterday.
Any basement self slabber slab can be reproduced at any time, there's really not a history to them. History comes from legitimate companies and/or wide spread practices. Spending pocket change is destroying history more than opening meaningless basement slabs would be
I don't change holders without a good reason. I will if I feel the coin is at risk of PVC or something is on the coin that needs to be removed. I may change the holder if I'm trying to sell a coin. That's when I make the decision.
Good bye and good riddance to those crap bargain basement slabs. When I actually find a decent coin in one first thing I do is crack it
I'd like to see your 1954S Mercury dime. I would have to say there is more than just the grades being wrong on the label.
